SAN DIEGO'S SALUTE TO AMERICAN HEROES: BOB HOPE AND THE MILITARY

NATIONAL SALUTE TO BOB HOPE AND THE MILITARY

     My father, like so many others in his generation, loved Bob Hope and his one-liner jokes that would sound a bit corny in today's world. The easily understood humor was conveyed without swear words or political implications. Thinking about my father on this past Father's Day and his enjoyment of the TV specials, made my recent visit to the “National Salute to Bob Hope and the Military” particularly meaningful.

      The spectacular work of art overlooking San Diego Bay, with the Midway Museum in the background, is free for everyone to enjoy. I like to sit on one of the nearby benches to take it all in while listening to Bob Hope's jokes from the ongoing loudspeaker.
      The realistic artwork consists of sixteen bigger-than-life bronze sculptures. At the center is Bob, microphone in hand, entertaining and raising the spirits of our troops.The surrounding 15 bronze soldiers represent different eras and branches of service that Bob would have encountered on his 57 United Service Organization (USO) tours between 1941-1991. Some are holding signs that say: “Thanks for the Memories Bob” and “Go Bob.” Others, with big smiles, are about to clap their hands in appreciation. One is in a wheelchair and another with crutches and a missing leg. I enjoyed the female Air Force officer who is sitting on the ground and sketching a humorous picture of Bob with his pointed nose. It is overall a great piece of artwork by Eugene Daub and Steve Whyte.

     Bob Hope was born in England in 1903 and moved to the US when he was four. He lived to be 100 years old. He appeared on various TV shows, particularly Christmas specials and various entertainment specials for the US Armed Forces from 1950-1996. Guest stars like Bing Crosby, Ann Margaret, and popular athletes often accompanied him. In 1997, the US Congress declared him the “first and only honorary veteran of the US Armed Forces.”  He traveled and entertained troops starting at the end of WW II and extending through the Korean War, Vietnam, Lebanon Civil War and the Persian Gulf.. He authored 14 books including the popular Bob Hope: My Life in Jokes. He was known for his sharp mind, good memory, and hard work. Delores and Bob Hope celebrated their 69th wedding anniversary before his death in 2003.

 
     His jokes live on:

“You can always tell when a man's well-informed. His views are pretty much like yours.”

“I grew up with six brothers. That's how I learned to dance—waiting for the bathroom.”

“You know you're getting old when the candles cost more than the cake.”

                                                               *******

      It would be difficult to visit the Bob Hope Memorial without first noticing the nearby towering 25 foot tall statue entitled “Unconditional Surrender.” It depicts the famous WW II photo of a sailor kissing a nurse while celebrating in Times Square, New York on August 14, 1945—inspired by the joy of all Americans upon hearing of the end of the war. The famous icon is sometimes referred to “Save the Kiss.” Kids call this the “kissy” statue. I love the striking statue, even though the couple didn't know each other, and the sailor was said to be inebriated at the time, and engaged to someone else.

                                                            *********

BRONZE SCULPTURE
BOB HOPE

BRONZE SOLDIERS

        The Bob Hope memorial is located in theTuna Harbor Park, adjacent to the Fish Market Restaurant. Metered parking is conveniently available.

FISHING BOAT-TUNA HARBOR

"UNCONDITIONAL SURRENDER"

NAVY'S 28th ANNUAL BAY BRIDGE RUN/WALK

CORONADO BRIDGE

     The Coronado Bay Bridge expands over two miles above the San Diego Bay, connecting San Diego to Coronado, California. What makes it particularly beautiful is the fact that it is curved to allow for a more gradual decline from its two-hundred foot highest point. It was built tall enough to accommodate most US Navy ships, and yet not too steep for vehicles to ascend and descend. In 1970, it won the Most Beautiful Bridge Award from the American Institute of Steel Construction.

CORONADO CAR FERRY
SERVICE ENDED IN 1969

     When it opened in 1969, the car ferry service ended. Between 1886 and 1969 there were car ferries between San Diego and Coronado that were built to accommodate passengers, horses, buggies, and later automobiles. The original Ferry Boat Booth still sits in Centennial Park as a reminder of days gone by.

     Another unique feature of this magnificent bridge is that it was built exclusively for motor vehicle traffic, that means: no pedestrians, no walkways, and no bikepaths. I expect that this is what makes the Navy's Annual Bay Bridge Run/Walk so popular. This is the only time of the year that pedestrians are allowed on the bridge. It has become a San Diego tradition and this will be the 28^th year for the celebration.

     It is a great social event. It is not, however, totally appreciated by serious runners or walkers. Participants are encouraged to bring their cameras, and believe me, they were stopping all over the place taking photos of the panoramic views, and whoever was with them, which included plenty of children and babies in strollers. 

     The walk/run is four miles long and begins at the Hilton San Diego Bayfront Hotel and ends at Tidelands Park in Coronado. My leisurely, one-hour and forty-minute walk, was not record-setting, but I did enjoy the scenery and photo ops like everyone else. The skies were cloudy and the air was cool, perfect for exercising, but not the best for picture taking.

     I found the beginning of the walk interesting. It followed along Harbor Drive and under the bridge through Chicano Park which offered a view of interesting murals painted on the bridge supports. This park contains the largest collection of Chicano art murals in the world. Live entertainment by a mariachi band added to the festivity.

CHICANO ART MURALS
UNDER BRIDGE

CHICANO ART MURALS

     Once we arrived at the bridge, there was a gentle uphill slope for the first mile and after that it was downhill. Traffic lanes on the north side were still open, and the passing cars frequently honk and wave at the participants.

     At the foot of the bridge, we enjoyed a pleasant walk along the golf course in Coronado and music from a Navy band.

     Finally, a celebration at Tidelands Park with a live band, cold water, bananas, protein bars and T-shirts for everyone. There were booths promoting various products, some with free samples, and free massages. The closing award presentations followed.

For those returning to San Diego, there were free ferry and bus rides.

     Thanks to the dedicated volunteers and hard work of many. This event helps support the San Diego military community by raising money for the Navy's Morale Welfare & Recreation Programs (MWR).

PARTY AT THE END

NAVY BAND

VIEW FROM TOP OF THE BRIDGE

START OF RUN/WALK

VINTAGE BANANA BOAT -- SAN DIEGO BAY

DOLE CALIFORNIA

     The DoleCalifornia ship, referred to as the “banana boat,” is not the prettiest or the largest—however, as it gently rolls into the San Diego Bay weekly, carrying up to 740 million  bananas, it's my favorite. It typically arrives on Sunday or early Monday, departs on Wednesday and is assisted by a tugboat. The times vary slightly, but it does come and go weekly.

     It docks, directly across the San Diego Bay from us, at the 10^th Avenue Marine Terminal. Immediately, there is activity around the vessel and soon the two five-story cranes start hoisting the 455 forty-foot containers from boat to awaiting truck beds. From here they are stored in the nearby warehouse or moved out right away. Hundreds of trucks arrive with empty containers which they exchange for loaded ones. The loads travel as far north as Canada and as far west as the Rockies.

     A few different ships rotate through (Dole California, Dole Costa Rica, Dole Ecuador, etc.), but they all look similar and have the Dole signage. Today's Dole California boat says Nassau which is where its registered. The IMO# stays the same during its lifetime which makes for easy identification. Using this number, I found out that this Dole California ship left Guayaquil, Ecuador, on April 24^th and stopped in Puerto Caldera, Costa Rico (April 28), and Puerto Quetzal, Guatemala (April 30) along the way. Other interesting statistics: the year it was built (1989), home port (Nassau) and type (container). I like to use the marinetraffic.com  website that provides up-to-date information on all ships currently at sea.

     Dole has a 24½ year lease with the city to import and export fresh fruit at the 10^th Avenue San Diego Marine Terminal. Dole FoodCompany, based in Westlake, California, is the largest importer of bananas in North America and the second largest importer of pineapples. Ecuador is the largest exporter of bananas to the United States. Bananas are the most popular fruit consumed in the world.

     Refrigerated trucks were developed originally in the 1940s and they continued to modernize until 1989 when these current ships were introduced causing quite a stir in the industry. Some called them the “un-banana boat” because the new technology transformed the shipping industry, eliminating waste and hundreds of jobs. Under this new automated system, plantation workers in Central America load boxes of bananas into containers set at a constant 57.5 degree F. They are not handled again until in the retailers warehouse.

     The huge ships carrying autos are more spectacular and colorful than the dull yellowish cream color banana boats. However, there is something special about watching these vessels arriving weekly with thousands of bananas and pineapples—no doubt carrying the banana I use in my daily smoothie.

                                                    Vintage Smoothie

                                                            1 tablespoon chia seeds (soak in milk for 10 minutes)

                                                            1 sliced banana 

                                                            1 cup frozen blueberries

                                                           ¼ cup protein powder-vanilla flavored

                                                            1 cup fat-free milk

                                                                     Blend together until smooth. Serves 2.

DOLE CALIFORNIA
EARLY ARRIVAL SAN DIEGO

        

DEPARTING ON A TUESDAY EVENING

December 1, 2018 revision: NEW VESSELS, BUT THE SAME DELICIOUS BANANAS

I was recently informed that the Dole California, and her three sister vessels: Dole Ecuador, Dole Honduras, and Dole Costa Rica have been reassigned to a new delivery route from Latin America to the US Gulf Coast and East Coast ports. They have also have been beautifully refurbished (see photos below).

Don't despair, bananas are still coming to San Diego on three larger, newly built vessels: The Dole Pacific, Dole Atlantic, and Dole Caribbean. They were built in South Korea (2015-16) and have almost twice the capacity of the previous “Italian” vessels.

I will be keeping my eye out for these new vessels and plan to publish a revised “Banana Boat” post in the new year.

Thank you to Aksahaye Arora at Dole Fruit for providing these photos:

VINTAGE JOURNEY TO PUERTO NEUVO & ROSARITO, MEXICO

ROSARITO BEACH HOTEL

     A visit across the border to Mexico, a short 30 minute drive for us, sounds compelling and interesting, however, we haven't been there for many years. With the current US Department of State travel warnings, due to drug related homicides and kidnappings, and two to five hour waits at the border, many Americans are no longer visiting Mexico.

We are on the mailing list for Day Trippers, a reputable local tour company, that offers a variety of excursions. We read about the Puerto Nuevo lobster village & lunch trip, and decided this would be a good opportunity to take a chance on a little excursion across the border. We figured we would be safe on a tour bus, but I don't think we gave much thought to the possibility of a long wait at the border.

There were several pickup points and we chose Chula Vista. It is a short drive for us and the street parking was easy. They picked us up promptly at 9:30 a.m. with an almost full bus of about 50 fellow passengers. The trip across the border was easy and took about 20 minutes. The new Mexican immigration facilities are impressive—shiny floors and all.

After entering Mexico, we drove along Playas Tijuana (Tijuana's beaches). From there we follow the scenic coastal highway south for 18 miles to Rosarito Beach. We noticed a number of high rises and residences along the way—some half-finished and abandoned due to the economy. We observed many smaller, unkept homes, as well. Graffiti and trash along the roadways was not uncommon.

BAR AT ROSARITO BEACH HOTEL

Our first stop was the famous historical Rosarito Beach Hotel. It is adorned with great Mexican tiles and a sign over the entry that reads,“Through this door pass the most beautiful women in the world.” This was certainly true when Marilyn Monroe, Lana Turner and Rita Hayworth frequented the place in the 1950s. 

After a brief visit to the hotel, we perused the nearby street markets. If time had permitted (you are always on the clock with a tour group), I would have taken a leisurely walk on the old wooden pier in front of the hotel and enjoyed a beverage at the quaint lounge overlooking the sea. The small town is old and interesting but, like most of Mexico not very prosperous.

We continued driving south another 15 miles to Puerto Neuvo. Once a sleepy little fishing village, it is now home to over 30 restaurants, all serving the famous lobster, and many offering great ocean views.

We had lunch at Villa Ortegas overlooking the ocean and rocky coastline. The meal was prearranged by the tour company and included one lobster (boiled or fried), beans (mushy and soft), Spanish rice, rolls, flour tortillas, taco chips and dip. The flan for dessert was great. All in all the meal was plentiful, but the lobster, in my humble opinion, was not very tasty The meal was accompanied by a great margarita.

ENTERTAINMENT AT ORTEGAS

After lunch, we had about an hour to walk around the town which was pleasant and interesting. The markets are slightly higher quality than Rosarito. The roads are old and the restaurants and markets were full of hawkers to promote business which was slow on this Saturday afternoon. I bought a clunky turquoise necklace for $5.

The drive back to the border was a little over an hour. The guide had to cancel our scheduled stop at the Tijuana Bakery, which I was looking forward to, because someone in our group fell. We needed to get back across the border as soon as possible for her medical care. She refused emergency care in Puerto Neuvo.

We waited three and one-half hours to get through immigration on our return. This was enough to keep us from returning anytime soon.

We went away wishing that a trip to Mexico was safer and simpler, because this Baja drive would make a perfect weekend getaway.  What are your favorite places in Baja?

PUERTO NEUVO

VERY SMALL CHURCH
PUERTO NEUVO

FLOWERS FOR SALE

INSIDE SMALL CHURCH
PUERTO NEUVO

STREET FOOD 

ENTRANCE TO PUERTO NEUVO

STREET SCENE PUERTO NEUVO

VINTAGE GARDENS OF CORONADO

     April is the month of the treasured annual Coronado Flower Show which has been held every year, with the exception of WW II, since 1922. It is the largest tented flower show in the nation, and it will be held April 26-27, 2014, at Spreckels Park in the center of Coronado ($5 admission fee). This year will be my first visit, and I am looking forward to the floral exhibits by our local talent. On-going live music from the central gazebo will make it even more enjoyable.

In conjunction with the flower show, the Coronado home front judging takes place 12 days before. The purpose of this contest is to inspire the community to beautify their gardens ahead of the flower show. From what I can see it works as intended and then some, because they are immaculately groomed year-round. Over 120 volunteers walk the entire city during the three day judging period evaluating every one of the 5,000 home fronts. Approximately 60-90 homes receive blue ribbons. From this group the final top awards are determined. It sounds complex; however, after 89 years of experience they seem to have the routine down.

The list of 2014 Home Front Winners has been published, and I'm on my way to take a look at some of the contestants and winners—perhaps a little too excited, because I managed to trip and fall along the way. I told my husband the good news: I was fine. He didn't appreciate the bad news: the camera broke. That means I'm in the market for another new camera, any suggestions? 

The flowers on Coronado are beautiful year round, but spring is the peak. Roses are at their blooming best and words are inadequate to describe them, which is why Gertrude Stein wrote “Rose is a rose is a rose is a rose.” They have been on earth for about 40 million years and have been the subject of thousands of books. The French gardens of Monet and Renoir both contained beautiful rose collections and were the subjects of many of their famous paintings.

In addition to the roses, there are dozens of other flowers, shrubs and trees beautifying the home fronts. Among them are hibiscus, azalea, camellia, crimson bottlebrush and the Pride of Madeira. They surround the lovely homes, many of which date back to the early 1900s. Making all of this complete is the California gardeners' love of color—shades of red, pink, yellow, purple, blue, white, and orange are spread throughout.

One of my favorites is the Jacaranda tree. I must agree, however, with my childhood friend Jean, that nothing compares to the fragrance and beauty of Minnesota lilacs in the spring. For many years, after moving to California, Jean made an annual sojourn back to Minnesota in May just to see the lilacs in bloom.

It would be unfair to mention the beauty of the the flowers and trees in San Diego without giving some credit to Kate Sessions (1857-1940). She began her landscaping business in Coronado in the late 1880s. Famous for planting colorful gardens and landscapes for all to enjoy; she was one of the first to introduce bougainvillea and many other original and colorful plants and trees to the area. In 1892, she moved her nursery to Balboa Park, where she agreed to plant 100 trees a year and eventually became know as the “Mother of Balboa Park.” I love the pretty statue of her at the entrance of Balboa Park, it is usually adorned with fresh flowers in her memory. 

Her legacy of beautiful and sweet-smelling flowers continues in Coronado.

JACARANDA TREE

 

SAN DIEGO TRAVEL & ADVENTURE SHOW 2014

2014 SAN DIEGO TRAVEL & ADVENTURE SHOW

In previous years we have enjoyed our excursions up to Los Angeles for travel shows held at the downtown convention center. So when we heard about the 2014 San Diego Travel and Adventure Show, just a short drive away, we couldn't resist. We found it to be a pleasant change from the crowded and larger Los Angeles Travel Show. It offered over 100 exhibitors, four stages with speakers, entertainment and cooking demonstrations to choose from.

Listening to award winning travel authors, photographers and popular televisions hosts is my idea of a day well spent. We also perused the many exhibit booths which offer a great opportunity to visit with representatives from all over the world. There were contests to sign up for and lots of freebies like pens and candy. Ron could have won a contest for eating the most Jelly Bellys which were generously provided at the Fairfield, California, booth. Fairfield, located 36 miles from San Francisco, is the town where they are produced.

We spent most of the day concentrating on the speakers; here are the favorites:

--Jim Cline, Professional Photographer. JimCline Photo Tours

I very much enjoyed the dozens of professional photos that he presented on a large screen for viewing and his commentary on each one. Jim has the ability to bring scenes alive by including people and activities. He said, “A picture talks to me because of the people in the photo.” He shared personal stories as well as some valuable photography tips.

He has the patience to wait for the perfect lighting and action in order to get an awesome photograph. He said he likes to go slowly and often returns to the best locations. I could identify with this because I like to take my time and return to favorite places. He inspired me to try to improve my photo taking by concentrating on just one thing at a time—for me it will be adding people and other actions to make the scenery more interesting. After that I am going to figure out the F stop for depth of field—needless to say he uses it a lot.

--Samantha Brown, Host of Travel Channel's “The Trip 2014”

Samantha recently returned to the Travel Channel after a hiatus, which included giving birth to twins. She was as animated and exited about travel as ever. Her charm and sense of humor make for some great stories.

She tries to go for a walk when she arrives at a destination to get the experience of everyday life. She loves to visit strip malls in the US to find authentic food.

Some of her quotes: “It's never in the must see, its always in the mundane.” “Search for the comma, not the exclamation mark.” “Create a ritual; do one thing the same everyday.” “Don't spend all your time in the past; it's important to be relaxed and in the moment.”

To find out more about what she is up to visit her new website.

--Patricia Schultz, author of 10,000 Places to See Before You Die.

Patricia has the uncanny ability to make every place she talks about sound like you need to visit. One of the many spots she chose was Slovenia—Ron and I both agreed it would be a good place to go. It is a small country, about the size of New Jersey, with a population of only two million. It has the Alps, castles, lakes, parks, and the beautiful old and centrally located capital city of Ljubljana which is 160 miles east of Venice. I'd better get planning while he is still interested.

I have never considered visiting Ethiopia, however, Patricia described it as one of the most fascinating countries she has ever been to. It lies on the Horn of Africa. Another place she has visited multiple times and loves is Petra, Jordan. She typically doesn't make return visits—because there is still so much new to see.

--Don Wildman, Host of Travel Channel's Mysteries at the Museum

There are over 17,000 museums in the US, all with stories to tell. He visits them with the intention of learning the stories behind the artifacts he sees, never forgetting the resourcefulness of the museum staffs. He has found that they love to share information and will give you more time if you call ahead to make arrangements. Stories related to the mysteries surrounding artifacts that he has discovered in his travels are the theme of his popular travel show.

His thoughts on this subject reminded me of how I remember the stories behind the places I visit long after I have forgotten the facts. I still love the story our tour guide told about the small country church in Normandy that was converted into a hospital during WWII. We could still see blood stains on some of the benches. The physician, who ran the hospital, returned many years later to find it. From then on he returned for an annual event that the parishioners held in his honor.

I also enjoyed a story from our recent trip to Beijing about the “Seventy-Year-Old-Door” at the Temple of Heaven. The door was built back in the 1700s for an emperor who felt his health was failing him. The door would shorten his walk to the ceremony. He was afraid that too many people would use it, so he made a rule that you had to be 70 or older to enter through the door. Unfortunately, he was the only one to ever use the door, because in all of the successive dynasties no emperor ever again reached the age of 70.

After listening to all of these speakers it would be difficult to leave without a yearning to get “back on the road.” Samantha Brown said “There are only a few things that mark a fresh start in life, and travel is one of them.”

                                                               *****

We left about four p.m. to head over to the Spaghetti Factory in the nearby Gaslamp area. This is our new favorite restaurant—great atmosphere, well priced meal and delicious food. I don't know of another place in San Diego where you can get a senior meal for under $10 , including salad, entrée, dessert and beverage. Add to that fond memories from a first visit to the San Diego Spaghetti Factory with my parents and our two young children back in the 1980s. I just wish I could find the old photo of our standing in front. I know it exists in one of the boxes stashed in my closet.

ENTERTAINMENT STAGE

TRAVEL SHOW BOOTH
www.SirenSkirts.com

A COLD DAY AT THE TEMPLE OF HEAVEN IN BEIJING

TAI CHI IN THE PARK

HALL OF PRAYER FOR GOOD HARVEST
TEMPLE OF HEAVEN



It was a cold, brisk, sunny morning in Beijing, and we headed out to find the Temple of Heaven Museum and Park which was about two miles from our hotel. It took us awhile to find it because the small map we were using was missing some of the street names (at least that's what Ron said), and our sense of direction was a little off. We finally went into a hotel for assistance, and it turned out to be an easy walk from there.

We entered the 660 acre park about 9:30 am; and to our delight it was full of older people, dressed colorfully, and having a great time. This was the happiest group of Chinese I saw the entire trip. Some were doing tai chi and many others were dancing to loud music, and a leader who often sang as well. There were couples dancing together and groups of women dancing alone (with men watching).

We enjoyed the variety of Chinese pop music that was coming from the different groups. Mainland China is currently experiencing a rise in the popularity of Mandarin pop songs and the release of many new albums.

There were ensembles playing live music for crowds that were singing along using the provided songbooks. It was kind of hard to believe that the park would be so active on a 30 degree windy day in March, but I suspect it would be the same in January. I was glad for my winter coat, hat and gloves.

There were games being played like Chinese Hacky Sack, which has been a popular sport in China for more than 2,000 years. It looked like a lot of fun. They also toss a soft hoop around and try to catch it around their neck. A man playing a mini badminton game invited Ron to join him. Ron had a good time playing and he entertained a few spectators as well. Then there was a long covered corridor with a sitting wall that was full of men and women playing games like dominoes and poker. It was here that I spotted two older woman, involved in a game of cards, they were a perfect picture in their red, pink and blue flowered jackets, silk scarfs and colorful warm hats.

COLORFUL COATS
SERIOUS GAME

      By the time we left at 11:30, the crowds were thinning. I imagine everyone was heading home for lunch. In warmer weather, retirees return to spend the afternoon relaxing, reading and socializing in the park.

The surrounding homes and apartments are extremely small, which I expect is an incentive for the locals to go to the park for entertainment, exercise, and camaraderie. For whatever reason, it appears to be a healthy lifestyle. Judging from the wide variety of vegetables, fruits, egges, beans and rice offered at the markets, their diet is hearty as well. I did not observe any obesity among the Chinese people.

JUST EGGES
TYPICAL MARKET BEIJING

In the midst of this popular park is the Temple of Heaven, considered one of China's finest examples of religious architecture. The complex was built between 1406 and 1420 and visited by Emperors of the Ming and Qing dynasties for annual ceremonies of prayer to heaven for good harvests. The wooden buildings are constructed without nails. An old Chinese cement mixture, made from raw materials such as egges, rice and kiwi juice, was used instead.

It was last used for ritual ceremonies in 1914, and then turned into a park, and opened to the public in 1918. All of the buildings within the Temple have special dark blue roof tiles, representing the heaven. The Hall of Prayer for Good Harvest, with its three tiered circular roofed levels, was the most spectacular. It was worthy of my slow vintage walk around to enjoy it from many viewpoints. 

The cleanliness of the area was no doubt due to the many warmly dressed cleaners we observed. They used brooms, made of straw, and dustpans to pick up any trash in sight. 

From here we headed over to the Forbidden City by subway.

CLEANER
TEMPLE OF HEAVEN

TAI CHI



DANCING IN THE PARK
ON A WINTER DAY

LONG CORRIDOR
GAMES IN PARK

DANCING THE SWING
IN BEIJING